In The Seats with...

You ever had something small and inconsequential happen in your life that you disagreed with and just can't let go?On this episode we dive into those little things that drive us nuts.  It's time for 'Retrograde'.It's the story of a young woman, involved in a minor traffic incident and gets cited for it.  Where most people would just pay the ticket, she can't move on as she can't understand how she did anything wrong and goes down a rabbit hole of obsession trying to prove that she was right.We've all be there....and we can all relate which is why this film is so funny and so truly relatable.  We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with writer/director Adrian Murray to talk about the origins of the story and so very much more.

It's hard enough being a teenage, but when the community that is supposed to be supporting you makes it worse....On this very special episode we're looking at a fascinating character drama that manages highlight the difficulties in structure when it comes to faith and particularly with young people trying to find themselves.  It's time for 'The Starling Girl'.Seventeen-year-old Jem Starling (Eliza Scanlen) struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy of dancing with the church group is tempered by worry that her actions are sinful and she is caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and her religious devotion. With the return of Owen, an enigmatic youth pastor, Jem soon finds herself attracted to his worldliness and charm. Slowly, he draws her into a dangerous relationship that could upend their entire community.Simply a stunning feature debut from writer/director Laurel Parmet, 'The Starling Girl' is the kind of movie that will have you talking long after the credits roll.  We had the unique pleasure of sitting down and talking with the star of the film, Eliza Scanlen.We talked about getting the job, the nature of the role, being respectful yet honest in a story like this and so very much more....

It's all about finding that passion....and making it happen.On this episode we're running it back to 1983 for the 30th anniversary of a film that while still a prime slice of 80's cheese, holds up surprisingly well through its sheer earnest nature.  It's time for 'Flashdance'.Flashdance is the story of Alex Owens, a fiercely determined and beautiful 18-year-old woman, who works as a welder by day and dancer at a local bar at night. The film sparkles with the music of the '80s including the No.1 hit song sung by Irene Cara ("Flashdance-What A Feeling") and "Maniac" sung by Michael Sembello. We follow Alex's struggle to gain independence, find love, and realize her dream-to dance at the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance.While it's hardly a perfect piece of cinema, there's something about Flashdance that holds up now even 40 years later with honesty and charm.  It's never looked better since it's release thanks to the 4K Blu-Ray released by our friends over at Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment and in celebration of that release we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director Adrian Lyne.  We talked about the origins of him getting the job, discovering Jennifer Beals, why it all still works today and so very much more.You can buy the newly restored Flashdance on 4K/Blu-Ray combo pack from all major retailers.

Music is our universal language, even if we don't realize it....On this episode once more we are walking the halls of non-fiction cinema as we try and put a bow on all the good stuff that we saw at this past edition of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.  It's time for 'Echo of Everything'While it isn't something that is necessary to keep us alive, music is listen to and created by all cultures on the planet.  Inspired by an existential crisis in his life that he was forced to deal with, filmmaker Cam Christansen focuses on power of music; how it can heal, how it can inspire and energize a population. Travelling to all corners of the globe, this film embarks viewers on a philosophical yet ultimately inspirational look at one of the truest joys that exists in the modern universe.In the madness of the festival we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director Cam Christansen to talk about the origins of this story, the marriage of music to the moving image and so very much more....

Human frailty has never impeded genius or one's quality of character...On this episode we are diving head first into one of our favorite streaming services over at Apple+ and looking at a truly inspirational and emotional documentary that just hit the service.  It's time for 'Still: A Michael J Fox Movie'.The improbable tale of a short kid from a Canadian army base who became the darling of 1980s Hollywood — only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?If you've ever doubted the comedic genius that is Michael J Fox....then you really need to see this movie as we see a man determined to live and determined to still be as funny as he ever was.  We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director David Guggenheim and editor Michael Harte to determine how this magic all came together.'Still: A Michael J Fox Movie' is playing in select theatres and on the Apple + streaming service now.

Even on the best of days, family is complicated....On this episode we are back at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival as we're still sifting through all the non-fiction flavored goodness that the festival offers up each and every year.  It's time to look at sibling relationships and family with 'Revir-Everything You Hold Dear'.Adult siblings Susie and Sune live together in the rural countryside. Susie is a hunter and taxidermist, and Sune commutes three hours a day to work. They bicker and bond much like siblings do against an amazing backdrop that almost makes their relationship much like the taxidermy which is such a huge part of both of their lives  However, there shared neglectful upbringing brings upon a state of genuine emotional arrest and the subsequent trauma of it all that they never discuss but quietly live with as they rely on each other almost in a state of co-dependency.  They open the doors on themselves in hopes of finding a new way that they can both heal and move forward, both and individuals and as family.At the festival we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with director Peter Hammer to talk about the film and so very much in the bustling heart of one of our favorite film festivals.

Lest we forget that the sisters are doing it for themselves....On this very special episode it's time to embrace the 'family' business and how even it needs to evolve.  It's time for 'Mafia Mamma'.While seeing to her long estranged (and now deceased) grandfather’s affairs in Italy, a mild mannered suburban mom (Toni Collette) unexpectedly inherits his mafia empire and finds herself stuck in the middle of a deadly mob war. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.In theatres and available to rent via Premium VOD services, 'Mafia Mamma' is just an unabashed hoot.  We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Catherine Hardwicke to talk about the origins of the story and so very much more.'Mafia Mamma' is available on Premium Video On Demand platforms for rent...now

For us movie nerds, it really is an overwhelming amount of riches for us to take in....On this very special episode we are diving into the joys of streaming movies from all over the globe into the comfort of your own home.  We're talking about MUBI.If you haven't already signed up, the introductory offer of 4 months for $4 is almost over so go sign up now.  Here's a little help.But we're not talking about a movie or anything on the service today, we're actually talking about the MUBI Podcast which is well into it's 3rd season right now with host Rico Gagliano.This documentary-style series returns and is hosted by acclaimed arts and travel reporter Rico Gagliano. Season 3: Needle on the Record, dives into the unifying power of movie music and tells the stories behind some of cinema’s most renowned “needle-drops” — moments where filmmakers deployed pre-existing music instead of an original score. We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with Rico to talk about getting the job, crafting content in this space what we have to look forward to, the power of music in movies and so very much more.

Growing up is rarely easy....On this very special episode we are getting the honor of diving into some incredibly beautiful Can-Con coming of age storytelling which is making it's debut at the TIFF Bell Lightbox tonight with some Q&A's and guests in attendance.  It's time for 'The Maiden'.Shot in glorious 16mm film, 'The Maiden' is a beautifully atmospheric mediation on growing up and all the challenges that it entails.  When a day of youthful abandon turns tragic, a new world opens for three suburban teenagers. Best friends Colton (Marcel T. Jiménez) and Kyle (Jackson Sluiter) skateboard, swim in a ravine, tag bridges, and pick flowers for a cat’s burial until a fatal accident changes everything. Meanwhile, Whitney (Hayley Ness) feels her best friend slip away into the world of boys and parties. When their paths cross, time slips, boundaries dissolve and what was certain ceases to exist. Shot in Alberta, 'The Maiden' is very much a film of its place that couldn't have taken place anywhere then in our own beautiful country.  I had the unique pleasure of sitting down with writer/director Graham Foy to talk about the origins of the story, shooting on film and so very much more.

Music can easily make or break a project....On this very special episode we are diving head long into one of our favorite shows available today and what truly makes it all work.  It's time for 'Slow Horses'.This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces. Streaming with it's second season now available on Apple + with more coming, we had the unique pleasure of sitting down with composers Daniel Pemberton and the collective known as Toydrum to talk a little about how they crafted the unique sound for this series, what attracts musicians to the space of making music for the screen and so very much more....'Slow Horses' Season 1 & 2 are available to stream on Apple+ now.